Washington Mystics sign China's Li Meng to training camp contract

WNBA side Washington Mystics announced on Monday that they have signed China's national team's star guard Li Meng to a training camp contract.

Li becomes the third Chinese player to join the WNBA for the upcoming season, following New York Liberty's Han Xu and Los Angeles Sparks' Yang Liwei.

"Hopefully I will bring more attention from Asia and China to the WNBA, and improve myself there," Li wrote on Weibo.

Li, 28, averaged 16.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists while helping China finish runner-up at the 2022 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, equaling the country's best result in major competitions. Li's 16.0 points per game was the fourth-highest average in the World Cup, and she also shot 40.7percent from the three-point line.

"Li Meng is the premier scorer for China's national team - an outstanding perimeter player who has the ability to stretch the floor with her excellent 3-point shooting," said Mystics general manager Mike Thibault.

"She reads the game and uses screens well and knows how to play off her teammates. She adds more size, strength and toughness to our guard group. Our players will enjoy playing with her," Thibault added.

Li has averaged 9.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists for China's national team since 2013.

Speaking in a video posted on social media, Li expressed hopes that she would improve in the WNBA so as to better help China on the international stage.

Li recently helped Sichuan win their first-ever Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) title, defeating Inner Mongolia 2-1 in the best-of-three finals.